Packer anchor



July 23 l946 wfL. CHURCH 29,404,692

PACKER ANCHOR Filed April .22.` 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToR.

July 23 E46. w. L. CHURCH 4049592 PAGKER ANcHoR Filed April 2.2 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 23, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlclsfv V Walter L. Church, Houston, Tex. Application April 22, 1943, Serial No. 484,105

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a packer for wells and has particularV relation to an expansible packer designed for forming a seal between the well tubing and an outer well pipe or casing, with means for anchoring the packer against upward move- 5 ment in the well casing.

Another object is to provide aV packer assembly so connected to the tubing that the tubing may be readily detached and withdrawn.

In completing a well a packer is set between the tubing and'casing. It is sometimes set be- Ytween two producing strata and production from the lower stratum is carried to the ground surfaceV through the tubing'while production from the upper stratum is carried to the ground surface through the casing. The packer should be anchored against upward movement or downward movement as otherwise it might be moved in the one direc-tion or the other on account oi unequal pressures on opposite sides of it. If the packer vis not anchored againstA upward movement and the well pressurebeneath it exceeds that above' it, it is liable to be moved upwardly with sufficient force to bend or corkscrew the tubing so that the tubing will be injured or rencember 2, 1940; under Serial Number 368,127,

which issued on February 27, 1944, under Patent No. 2,352,433. I

With the above and other objects in View the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows an elevational view of the cornplete assembly showing the packer expanded,

or set. n

Figures 2 and A3 show side views, partly in section, of the upper and lower. ends ofthe assembly showing the packer collapsed. I

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken on 50 'the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figures 5 and 6 show side Views partly .in section, of the upper and lower ends respectively, of the` assembly showing the packer expanded or set. and f n (Cl. ISG-,12)

Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view takenon the line I-'I of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings the numeral I designates the well tubing which extends tothe ground surface and the Vnumeral 2 designates the outer well pipe, or casing which also extends to the ground surface.- Onthe tubingtherejs a tubular cage 3 having an inside downwardly tapering seat il at its lower end whereon there is mounted an expansible downwardly tapering slip 5. This slip has, on the inside, upwardly pitched, right-hand teethor threads 6` and screwed onto the lower end `of the tubing I there is a coupling 'I whose upper end has external'downwardly pitched right hand threads 8 engageable with the teeth of the said slip. Mounted in thecage 3 are the friction members `9 `which are retained against' detachment by the-endfstops Ill, I0 and which are held yieldingly in` their outer position by the pressure springs Ia sothat they will be held in frictional contact with the well casing 2 as rshown in Figures 1 to 6. Thesprings Illa are seated ina bushing 3a driven into the cage 3. When the tubing is turned to the right the threads 8 will b e disengaged from the threads 6 and the tubing can be moved downwardly. In order to yreengagesaid threads the tubing may be given a straight pull upwardly and the threads 8 will ratchet past the threads 6 and reengage therewith, the slip '5 being made expansible to permutms.

The coupling 'I and the opposing end of cage 3 have interengaging stopsII and I2 respectively t'o `prevent lthe threads 8 from becoming too tightly screwed into the threads 6 upon a relative reverse rotation of these-parts.

Mounted for radial movement in the cage 3 there are casing engaging jaws I3 whose inner sides converge downwardly and. whose outer sides are formed withl downwardly pitched teeth. These jaws are normally maintained in their inner position out of engagement with the casing by the iiat springs I4 whose-lower ends are fastened to the cage and whose upper ends: are free and located in vertical outside grooves in the jaws. The upper ends of the jaws are limited lntheir outward movement by the stops I5 on the cage at the upper ends of the jaWS- There is a downwardly tapering jaw expander I6 within the jaws I3 andthe upper end of the cage 3 extends above the said jaws and has an inside Vkey I1 engageable With an externalshoul- `der I8 on said expander to prevent detachment of the cage from the expander.

P? Screwthreaded onto the upper end of the jaw expander 6 is a sleeve |9 and screwthreaded into the upper end of the sleeve is an annular abutment 20.

Slidably mounted within .this abutment and extending above it is a tubular packer support 2| whose lower end has an outside annular shoulder 22 underneath and engageable with the lower end of the abutment 29 andwhose upper end is screwthreaded into a set collar 24, above. Surrounding the packer support is a suitable sleevelike expansible packer 23, which is formed of rubber or other suitable expansible material so as to form, when expanded, a fluid tight yseal with the outer well pipe or casing 2. The packer, at its lower and upper ends, is iitted into the Vadjacent ends of the annular abutment and set collar 24 respectively as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

An upper tubular cage 25 has its lower end.'

are normallyheld,V in their inner yposition by the at springs 2 1 whpse lower ends are fastened toA the cage 2 5 and whoseupper ends are free and fil?, inl Vertical slots inthe jaws 26, 'I lieupper endsof the jaws areJ limited in Vtheir outward movement by stops 28 on thecage 275,; e. Within the jaws 26 there is an expander 29 whosed outer surface; tapers downwardly. This expander is initially fastenedtotheupper end f the cage 2 5 by agshearable pin 39. V.On the tubing I above the expanderuzi there is anenlarged coupling Y3| and onthe tubing beneath the expander 29 andspaced the required distance beneath the coupling 3| there is an enlarged oo1lar32. Clamped in an internal recess in the get collar 24 by the gland 33 is a stuiiing box 3 4 which closely surrounds the tubing i Thereis a release sleeve positioned within packer. support. 2| and spaced therefrom and whose upper end isscrewthreaded into Dthe set collar 24. The release sleeve ,closely surrounds the tubing .l and extendsidownwardly through the sleeves 2| and|9 andon down through the lower cage 3 and bushing 3a therein. In use the apparatus is assembled as 4s lfro-wnin Figures 2 and 3 with the upper end `pf thecoupling 'I .engaged and held by the slip 5; and with the expander 29 pinned to the upper end of cage 25. While being so lowered the expander `|6 will be held in itsupper position by the sleeve 35 whose lower end rests on the upper end of the coupling l as shown in Figure 3 and the packer 23 will be collapsed. When the selected lvel has been reached to set ythe packer the tubing may i.

be turned tothe right. UThe ycage 3 will vbe held stationary by the friction members 9 and the coupling 'l will be screwed out of the slip 5. Thereupon the tubing may be lowered andthe coupling 3|` will land on the expander 29 causing the cage 25 vand Aset collar 24 to move downwardly thus forcing the sleeve |9 and the expander I5 downwardly and the jaws I3 will be expanded, or moved outwardly into engagement with the casing `2 thus anchoring the assembly against further downward movement, as a whole. As the tubing fis moved further downwardly the cage 25 and set collar will also be moved vdownwardly to cause the expansion of the paclver23 into sealing relationship with the casingl 2 shown in Figure l. Upon'further downward movement of 4 the tubing I, its weight will cause the pin 30 to be sheared and the jaws 26 will be expanded into engagement lwith the casing 2 and the packertinuationof the tubing and which` may extend any selected distance down into the well.'v

The tubing is provided with a plurality of slots 36 which will be located beneath the stuff- `,ing box 34 ywhen the packer is set and production is being carried on through the tubing, as shown in'Figure 5 but which will be located above said stulng box, as shown in Figure 2 when the assembly is being moved in the well. be Aunderstood that theiwell is filled 4with uid and while lowering or withdrawing or adjusting the assembly in the well, t is desirable that circulation be maintained from withi'nfthe tubing to the outside ofthe tubingand vicerso; i the pressure will be' equalized thus relieving" the packer assembly from ua 'major portion of.. the weight of the liquidv column above duringithese movements. This circulation may be maintained through the ,slots andthe surrcundingfholes 3l, through the cage 25, when the assembly wislfin the position shown in Figure 2. La

With the packer set, Vas showniii lfigurjg, v1,`- production maybe carried onthrough theV tubingll to theground surface,

As illustrated in Figures 1J and 5l the V.casing 2 maybe provided with perforations 38;above the 4packer and opposite a lproducing stratums' that gas or oil may be also producedand delivered to the ground surface up through the casing around the tubing. `g i When it is desired todo so the assembly, under .normal conditions, may be removed fromthe well. In order to do this .the tubing may be pulled upwardly thus pullingthe :upperend ofthe cou-` pling l up into the slip 5, the, threads B oi the coupling ratcheting pastvthethreads 6 of the islip so that said threads maybe inter- 'engagedby af direct upward movement ofr the tubing. Upon such Yupward movement the coupling v3.2 willeng'age the lower end of, and elevate, the expander 29 and the springs 2`| will release the jaws 26 from the casing. At,` the Sametime the upper end of the coupling will engage the'lower end ofthe .sleeve 35 forcing it Vand thesetpollar -24 upwardly which will cause an upwardq movement of the packer support 2|.v The external4 shoulder 22 of this support will engage the lower end of. Y

the abutment 29 thus elevating said abutment and the sleeve i9 and expander |6 to release the jaws 3 and the. springs |4 will then disengage Vsaid jaws from the casing 2 and the entire assembly may be pulled from the well. l

It sometimes happens that ith'e packer assembly becomes stuck and cannot 'be released. In such case the tubing I'may be "unscrewedand parted at the coupling 3|. ForV this purpose this coupling 3| may bevof the safety `ioint type ofiany conventional construction'to facilitate the' partlng of me tubing so that the'tubingmay be with; drawnandsaved.' j f j if The upper end of 'the jaoret,-forre1easesleeve, 35 is provided with a verticallyelngatedslot 39 and a key .40 is 4att'a .o l 1ed to the tubing andiworks in saidfslotwhereby the tubing Aandfreleasesleeve Y It isV to i What claim is: 1. A device for forming a seal between an inner tubing and the walls of the well, and which includes an expansible sleeve-like packer with means beneath the packer for supporting the packer; a tubular upper cage above the packer around the inner tubing, radially movable wall .engaging slips mounted in the cage, a downwardly tapering expander, -a shearable pin securing the expander in the cage above the slips, an external projection on the tubing above the expander and engageable with the expander to move the cage downwardly Vto subject the packer to endwise compressive force to expand the packer, said pin being thereafter shearable by the weight of the inner tubing and the expander being thereupon movable downwardly between said slips to expand the slips into engagement with the walls of the well to maintain the packer expanded, and an external projection on the tubing engageablewith the expander upon subsequent upward movement of the tubing to release the expander from the slips, means for retracting the slips upon such release to disengage them from the `walls of the well to allow the packer to collapse and be withdrawn from the well.

2. A device for packing wells and shaped to surround an inner tubing and comprising an upper tubular cage, a downwardly tapering, upper, slip expander secured within the cage, casing engaging slips in the cage around the expander, releasable means initially retaining the expander in inactive position, yieldable means normally retaining said slips retracted or in their inner position, a set collar connected to the lower end of the cage, a packer support depending from the set collar, a sleeve-like expansible packer beneath the set collar around said support, a sleeve around said packer support whose upper end has an abutment against the lower end of the packer, a lower downwardly tapering slip-expander carried by the lower end of said sleeve, a lower tubular cage, casing engaging slips in said lower cage around said lower expander, yieldable means normally holding the slips in the lower cage retracted, a coupling on said inner tubing releasably connected to the lower cage, a coupling on the inner tubing above the upper expander arranged to engage the upper expander and move the upper cage, the set collar, the packer and the lower expander downwardly, upon release of the inner tubing from the lower cage and the downward movement of the inner tubing, whereby the lower slips will be expanded by the lower expander and caused to engage the casing to support the packer and to cause expansion of the packer upon further downward movement of the inner tubing, said upper expander being releasable and downwardly movable by the weight of the tubing to expand the upper slips into engagement with the casing, and an external abutment on the inner tubing engageable with the upper expander, upon subsequent upward movement of the tubing and eiective to release said upper expander from the upper slips.

3. A device for packing wells and shaped to surround an inner tubing and comprising an upper tubular cage, a downwardly tapering, upper, slip expander within the cage, a shear pin securing said expander to the cage, casing engaging slips in the cage around the expander, said shear pin initially retaining the expander in inactive position, yieldable means normally retaining said slips retracted or in their inner position, a set collar connected to the lower end of tubing releasably connectedrto the lower cage, a

release sleeve arranged to rest on said coupling and connected to and supporting the set collar while going` into awell to maintain the packer collapsed, a coupling on the inner tubing above theV upper expander arranged to engage the upper expander and move the upper cage, the set collarthe packer and the lower expander downwardly, upon release on the inner tubing from the lower cage and the downward movement of the inner tubing, whereby the lower slips will be expanded by the lower expander and caused to engage the casing to support the packer and to cause expansion of the packer upon further downward movement ofthe inner tubing, said pin being shearable and said upper expander being releasable and downwardly movable by the weight Kof thel tubing to expand the upper slips into engagement with the casing.

4. A device vfor packing wells and shaped to surround Aan inner tubing and comprising an upper tubular cage, a downwardly tapering, upper, slip expander releasably secured within the cage, casing engaging slips in the cage around the expander, releasable means initially retaining the, expander in inactive position, yieldable means normally retaining said slips retracted or in their inner position, a set collar connected to the lower end of the cage, a seal within the set collar adapted to surround said inner tubing, a packer support depending from the set collar, a sleeve-like expansible packer beneath' the set collar around said support, a sleeve around said packer support whose upper end has an abutment against the lower end of the packer, a lower downwardly tapering slip-expander carried by the lower end of said sleeve, a lower tubular cage, casing engaging slips in said lower cage around said lower expander, yieldable means normally holding the slips in the lower cage retracted, a vcoupling on said inner tubing releasably connected to the lower cage, a collar on said inner tubing engageable with the lower end of the upper expander upon upward movement of the inner tubing, a coupling on the inner tubing above the upper expander arranged to engage the upper expander and move the upper cage, the set collar, the packer and the lower expander downwardly,` upon release of the innertubing from the lower cage and the downward movement; of the inner tubing, whereby the lower slips will be expanded by the lower expander and caused to engage the casing to support the packer and to cause expansion of the packer upon further downward movement of the inner tubing, said upper expander being releasable and downwardly movable by the weight of the tubing to expand the upper slips into engagement with the casing.

5. A device for packing wells and shaped to surround an inner tubing and comprising an upper tubular cage, a downwardly tapering, upper slip expander secured within the cage, casing engaging slips in .the cage around the expander, re-

7 leasable means initially retaining the expander in inactive position, yieldable meansnormallyre'- taining said slips retracted or in their inner posi'- tion,'a set collar connected to the lower end of the cage, a packer support depending Afrom the set collar, a sleeve-like expansible 'packer beneath' the set collar around said support, a sleeve aroundV said packer support .whose upper end has an abutment against the lower end of 'the .packerya lower downwardly tapering slip-expander carried by the lower end of said sleeve, a lower tubular cage, means on the lowereage irrational engagement with the well casingcasing' engaging slips in said lower cageV around said lower expander, yieldable means normally-holding the slips in the lower cage retracted, aY coupling on said inner tubing" relea'sably' connected to the lower cage, a coupling on the inner tubing Yabove the upper expander arranged to engage the upper expander and move the upper cage, the set' collar, the packer and the lower expander downwardly, upon release of the inner tubing from the lower cage and `'the downward movement of the'inner tubing, whereby the lower-slips will be expanded by 'the lower expander and' caused rto engage the casing to support tlflepackerV and to cause expansion of the packer uponfurther'dow'n-r ward'inovement of the inner tubing, said upper expander being releasable anddownwardly movable by the weight of theA tubing to expand the*` upper slips into engagement with the casing and an externalprojection on the tubing engageable with the upper expander to release it from the upper slips upon subsequent upward movement of Y the tubing'.

6. A device of the 'character described compris'- ing, an upper tubular cage, a downwardly tapering upper, slip expander within the cage, easing engaging slip-s in the cage around the expander,- releasable means initially retaining the expander in inactive'po'sition, yieldable means normally 'retaining said slips retracted or in their inner position, a set collar connected to the lower end of the cage, a packer support depending fro-inthe set collar, a sleeve-like expansible packer beneath the set collar around said support, a sleeve around said packer support whose upper end an abutment against the lower end of the packer, a lower downwardly taperingV slip-expander carried by the lower end of said sleeve, a lower tubular cage, casing engaging slips in said lowerr cage around said lower expander, yieldable means normally holding the slips in the lower cageretracted an' inner tubing extending through s aid cages, a coupling on said inner' tubing releasablyconnected to' the lower cage, an upwardly facing shoulder on said inner tubing engageable with the lower end of the upper expander upon upward movement of the inner tubing, a downwardly facing shoulder on the inner tubing above the upper expander' arranged to engage the upper expander and move the upper cage, the set collar, the packer and the lower expander downwardly, upon release of the` inner' tubing from the lower cage and the downward movement of the inner tubing, Whereby the lower slips will be expanded by the lower expander and caused to engage the casing to support the packer and to cause expansion of the packer upon further downward movement of the inner tubing, said upper expander being Vreleasable `and downwardlymovable by theV Weight of the tubing to expand the upper slips into engagement with the casing; said upwardly facing shoulder being provided to release the upperexpander from theeorresponding slipstoV permit lrelease of said slips .from the well casing. l Y

'7. A device of the character described comprising, an upper tubular perforated cage, a downwardly tapering upper, slip expander within the cage, casing engaging slips in the cage around the expander, releasable means initially retaining the expander in inactive position, yieldable means normally retaining said slips retracted or in their inner position, a set collar connected to the lower end of the cage, a seal within the' set collar adapted to seal around an inner tubing, a packer support depending from the'set collar, asleeve-like expans'ible packer beneath the'set collar around said support, a sleeve around said packer support whose upper end has an abutment against the lower end of the packer, a lower downwardly tapering slip-expander carried by the lower end 'of said sleeve, a lower Vtubular cage, casing engaging slips in said lower cage around said lower expander, yieldable means normally holding the slips in the lower cage retracted, an inner tubing extending through said cages and seal,a coupling on said inner tubing releasably connected to the lower cage, anupwardly Yfacing shoulder on'said inner tubing engageable with the lower end o'f tlie upper expander upon upward movement ofthe tubing, a downwardly facing shoulder onthe inner tubingabove the upper expander arranged to engage the upper expander and move the upper cage, the set collar,`t-he packerand the lower Vexpander downwardly, upon release of the inner tubing-from the lower cage and the downward movement of the inner tubing, whereby the lower' rslips will be expanded by the lower expaderand caused-to engage the casing to support the packer and to -cause expansion of thefpac'ker upon further downward mover-nent of the innertubing; said upper expander being releasable and downward-ly movable by the weight of the tubing to expand the upper slipsinto engagement with the casing, said inner tubing havingV` perforations which aresabove said seal when the tubing is inV its upper position but which are below said seal when the tubing is moved downwardly to set theV packer. WALTER L. CHURCH.W 

